The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-04
CURING CONSUMPTION.
A CASE OF PHTHISIs CURED BY
CHEST MISSIONS.
The Operation Of Thoracentesis-The
Pationt Recovering, Though One
Lung Is Entirely Gone-Physicians
Disputing as to the Disease.

Dlsputing as to the Disease.
New York Correspondence of the Globc-Democrat.
"Can consumption be cured ?" This is
a question frequently asked, but rarely, II
ever, answered in Il satisfactory manner to
the questioner. Some people, who arc
supposed TO have this disease find relief
in medicine OF certain kind, and immc-
diately announce that they have found q
cure. 1t does them good, and, il is sup
posed, il will have the same effect upon
everyone. There are consumptivcs who
believe that they were more benefited by
Il change OF air, sccnery, and by having u
new set OF mental impressions, and that
the improvement in their condition only
came when medicine was thrown 10 the
dogs. Dry, pure air, sunshine, mild eX-
ercise and generous tonic diet, and no
drugs, are thus advocated by many MS
sure cure. But careful study OF individ-
ual cases will always show III
this disease that what is one man $
meat is nothcr's poison. A man
must be u law unto himself.
Every once in while SEINE specialist,
usually in Germany or France, gladdens
the heart OF mankind with the announce
mcnt that the long sought for recipe for
consumption has been found. The for
mula is given 10 the world, us il is the duty
of every physician in good standing to do,
and then the experiments begin every
where, and with what result? II is always
the same The formula is stamped with
indelblc ink, after repeated trials, with
the word failure" However strong may
he the arguments OF the believers in any
particular theory, or the belief Of those
who think that they have been cured the
fact remains that the weight OF evidence
everywhere is all against the cure, and the
best advised physicians will usually answer
in the negative when the question is put
TO them. The world is anxiously waiting
for some one to find the treatment to cure
consumption, and there is no doubt that ii
will he discovered some time.
Right in the face of the weight of
authority that phthisis is incurablc, comes
the strange ease Of Mary Nally, patient
in the Charity hospital. She is forty years
old and her life has been sober, temperate
and industrious. She has been a widow
for many years. and had hard struggle TO
raise family Of children. Three OF her
children had the diphthcria together, and
she was worn out by long watching and
faithful nursing and when her children
died her system was run down completely
and she was in splendid condition for
the seeds OF the disease TO take root. In Il
week after the children were buried the
mother was low with the disease which
had carried them of, and when her strong
constitution hal finally conquered the
malady she was in u very dcblitated con-
dilion. An effort was made to build up
her system, and for time il was success
full, but il was only short lived She got
enough strength 10 gtt out OF bed and
move around little. aud then the dreaded
symptoms OF phthisis were manifested. TO
speak required great effort and the least
exercise caused labOrcd breathing and
sense Of suliocation. A hacking
cough came on, ~ violent that IL seemed
as il the flesh would be shaken from the
bones during the spasm. A severe pain in
the right lung was ever present and the
woman wasted away like a mist before the
rising sun. The bright hectic flush gave
the glow oi health Ia the ashy hue Of up.
pruarhing death, and the ominous cold
swcais came on with the approach OF
night. The woman's mind flashed and
y flickcrd with nm occasional dclirium,
while her body was being slowly burned
away, and the usual constitutional dis
turbanccs attendant upon this disease ap
pcarcd IN mn aggravated form. When she
was taken io the hospital she was, IL VA,
thought, IN the last stages Of consumption
with only few days TO live. Every brcatl
WIS drawn IN pain. She could not sleep
but law in a comatose state for hours. Hel
chest was greatly swollen, and the intorna
organs were in the abdominal cavity
where they had been forced by prcssur,
from above. The right lung did not act n
all.
The second day after she was admitted
10 the hospital Dr Tarbcau performed tn,
operation Of thoracentesis The paiien
was put slightly under the influence o
ether. An incision was made In the righ
side. In order 20 escape cutting the in
icrcostal artery the opening was made bo
tween the sixth and seventh ribs. tn,
hole was only n small one, and through !
a canua was passed into the pleuml cavity
A rubber tube was attached 10 the canula
and by using hand hall the fluid wa
pumped out. II was light oolored flui,
and contained trace II pus. A grea
deal more was taken away than there wa
thought To be in the chest, the qunntit.
hcing sufficient 10 I'LL an ordinary sizc'
water pail. In twcnty-four hours the ches
was filed with liquid again, and II ha'
developed so rapidly that tho paticn
nearly died from sunocation before II wa
discovered. The canula was again pu
into the wound and the fluid was removed
The canuln was not taken away tai
time, hut was united 90 rubber tub,
the end Of which hung below the patient
body 10 allow the liquid "a escap,
The end was scaled by placing Il In a basi
OF water, 20 ~ 20 keep air from getting int
the chest. There was constantly more pt
appearing in the discharge, the flow
which kept up, and 10 facilitate IFS removi
four more openings were made into "
chest and drain tubes introduced. Til
prevented Accommodations Of iiuid, and
about a week the flow began 10 dccrcas
The patient had frequent attacks OF suii
cation which were not understood nj fins
but Il WIS finally shown that air was &c
ting into the cavity NJ the chest, and
this meant, sooner or later, suddt
death, y hnnd-pump was kept going all u
time by an attendant. This kept the che
free from air. and gave the part throul
which the air entered, and which had
doubt been made by the accidental tbrus
ing Of q trocnr into the lung, chance
heal The discharge kept continually 4
minishing In quantity, and at the end
two weeks one tube kept the chest fr
from nuid, and, after weeks consta
pumping, night and day, the rupiurcd !
passage closed, and no more air got In
lire cavity.
With the cessation Of the flow Of p
and fluid from the chest began an II
proyemcnt In the patients condition, al
Il has been kept up steadily for Il
months, and she is now able TO III up ~
take a square meal. II is believed d
the right lung is entirely gone. The j